Pipe-cleaning apparatus



June 15 1 926.

PIPE CLEANING APPARATUS Filed May 13, 1925 4 1 H' l l H J l M N M MI f Patented June 15, 1926.

UNITED STATES ATENT ori ice] JOHN M. TnoMrson Ann WILLIAM-H, THOMPSON, on BUFFALO, 'N'nwYonKL FIFE-CLEANING APPARATUS.

Application filed- May 13, 1925. Serial No. 29,920.

This invention relates to apparatus ordevices for use in cleaning pipes or pipe lines such as are used in connection with theconducting of sewage, water, oil or other fluids, and which apparatus or devices areadjustable for the purpose of enabling them to act upon pipes of different sizes.

The objects'of this invention are to provide adjusting means of improved construction for use in connection with pipe cleaning apparatus whereby the apparatus can readily be adapted to operate on pipesof different diameters; also to improve the construction of pipe cleaning apparatus of this type in other respects hereinafter specified.

In the accompanying drawings,

F ig. 1 is a longitudinal central sectional elevation of a pipe cleaning apparatusor device provided with adjusting mechanism embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is asimi'lar view of-the apparatus or device showing the parts thereof in different positions. v i Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, transverse, sectional elevation thereofon linel3-3,Fig."1.

The pipe cleaning device includes a frame member upon which'the various parts of the apparatus are mounted. Thisframe 'menr ber may be of any suitable or desired con-- struction, that shown including a pairfof end pieces A and A, eachofwhich has radially extending arms a and a. These end pieces of'th'e frame or supporting member are connected by means of a plurality of longitudinally extending bars'B, which in the construction illustrated are of angle shape, and the end portions of which are secured to the radially extending arms a, a

of the end pieces; By means of this arrangement the adjacent legs or flanges of the angle bars are arranged substantially parallel to each other. C represents a clevis or other attaching device secured to the front end piece and to which a rope or cable may be connected for drawing the device through a pipe. A supporting member of any other suitable or desired construction may, of course, be employed, if desired.

A plurality of arms D are pivotally mounted on the supporting member, preferably by means of pivots (Z which extend through the adjacent flanges of the bars B of the supporting members, so that the outer ends of the arms D may swing outwardly from the supporting frame member to different distances therefrom.-' The outer ends of these arms are adapted to carry suitable pipe cleaning or scraping implements, such,

for example, as a shoe or pipe cleaning implement E, which is adapted to-engage the inner surface .ofthe pipeto be cleaned and to remove depositsand accumulations therefrom. r The shoe or cleaning implement E in the construction shown is of substantially T-shaped cross SGOtlOIl' and is provided with sharp cutting edges 6 adjacent to the ends thereof, and with a circumferentially extending flange 6. Each link D is preferably bifurcated at an -'end cl thereofand this bifurcated end of the link straddles the ra-' dially extending flange e? of the cleaning implement or shoe and is'pivotally connccted thereto by means of suit-able ivots Q0 The rearend of the cleaning 1mple-' ment in the particular construction shown also connected to the frameor supportung member by means of a link 7, which preferably. extends parallel to the link D, so' that thecleaning implement or shoe E will, during the adjustment thereof, be

maintained in substantially parallel relationship to the supporting frame or member.

The supporting frame described, the shoe or cleaning implement, and the parallel links connecting theframe and shoe have heretofore been used in connection with pipe cleaning apparatus and ofthemselves .constituteno part ofthis invention and it will be understood that these parts are merely shown as one example of an embodiment of this invention andthat any other pipe or cleaning implement may be mounted on the end of the arms D and any other form of supporting frame may be used, and other pipe cleaning devices maybe mounted on the shoeE. y

In order to effect the desired adjustment 7 of the arms D relatively to the supporting or frame member, wormjgears or worm gear segments G are preferably associated with the arms D and if desired these worm gear segments may be formed integral therewith as in the construction shown. These worm gear segments all mesh with a centrally arformed on or secured to a longitudinal shaft h, the one end of which is journalled in the front end piece A of the supporting or frame member and the other end of which extends through and is journalled in a portion of the'rear end piece A. The shaft h may be held against lengthwise movement in any suitable manner, for example, the worm H may abut against a projecting portion 71/ of the front end piece A to limit the move ment of the shaft in one direction and the rear portion of the shaft may be provided with a sleeve or collar 72/ arranged adjacent to the rear end piece a to limit the movemenof the shaft in the other direction. The rear end-of the shaft is preferably also provided with any suitable means adapted to be engaged by a wrench or other implement for turning the shaft, the rear end of the shaft being shown square in cross section as indicated at 7L3 to engage with a suitable socket wrench, not shown.

- It is obvious that by turning the shaft h, the worm H will turn andcin meshingwith the gear segments G, will cause the arms D to swing about their pivots d. By means oftheconstruction described a single worm engages all of the worm gear segments of the several armsD, so that a simultaneous and equal adjustment of all of these arms is I insured. The Worm H is made of such pitch that after the same has been set to the desired position, it will positively hold the arms D against moving outof their adjusted position. -By means of the construction described the pipe cleaning device can be read ilyadjusted to fit pipes of different diameters, and after the desired adjustment has been made, the arms D will be securely held in their adjusted positions. If desired the armsf may be replaced by other arms similar to thearms D and another worm may be placed on the shaft to cooperate with such arms. I

Weclaim as our invention;

1. A pipecleaning device having a frame member, a cleaning'member adapted to engage the inner surface of a pipe, a pair of links pivotally connected to said frame memher and to said cleaning member for enabling said cleaningmember to be moved to different distances from said frame member, a worm gear segment rigidly connected with a connecting link, and a worm rotatably mounted on said supporting member and meshing with said worm gear for adjusting said link to vary the distance of said cleaning member from said frame. member.

2. A pipe cleaning device including a frame member, an arm pivotally mounted on the frame member and having a pipe cleaning implement near the outer end thereof, a worm gear segment formed integral with said arm, and a worm journalled in the frame member and adapted to engage said gear segment to adjust said arm into different angular member.

3. A pipe cleaning device including a frame member having a plurality of longitudinally extending bars, arms pivoted to relations to said frame ,said bars and adapted to swing outwardly relatively to said frame member, worm gear segments associated with said arms, and a worm rotatably mounted between said arms and engaging said worm gear segments to cured to said end pieces, arms pivotally connected to said bars and adapted to swing outwardly with reference to said frame member, worm gear segments connectedwith said arms and a worm journalled in said end pieces and engaging said segments for adjusting said arms. JOHN M. THOMPSON.

VILLIAM H. THOMPSON. 

